The Adventure of the Sequel
to the Adventure of the Angry Author
page 2
"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Mr. Holmes." The Doctor seemed to bear a great weight which he was anxious to have removed. Then, leaping right to his reason for his visit, he said, "I believe one of my patients has been abducted."
"John Merrick," replied Holmes.
Treves was shocked at first then almost amused. "I have heard and read of your almost magical powers in these incidences but they pale in direct contact with it."
"Hardly magical, Doctor," Holmes said as he brought Treves the hat case. "I merely, with the remarkable aid of my good friend, was given what our American cousins refer to as a 'head start’ with this." He opened the case.
"John's hat!" Treves gasped. "Then you know his whereabouts."
"No, I know where he was when he lost his hat. Pray, be seated and please tell us what happened to your patient."
Holmes directed Treves to our sofa and he began his tale:
"John has been in our care for some time now. Since I rescued him from that ungodly freak show. Perfectly happy and cared for. I believe that he was taken by his former employer, Mr. Bates. He always resented me for taking John from him. I believe he is once again exhibiting Merrick as a circus freak."
Treves was again on his feet, pacing about the room. "Mr. Holmes, I am a very busy man. My duties, my patients, prevent me from looking for him myself. I need your assistance."
Holmes by this time had himself gone over to his table of chemicals and began mixing several flasks and test tubes. "It would be an honor to serve you. Also a bit of a vacation compared to some of the cases we've just finished. There was that one with Sigmund Freud and the other with Oscar Wilde, that business with Dr. Henry Jekyll and not to forget the episode with Count Dracula---"
"Really, Holmes," I interrupted, "Is all this name dropping necessary?"
"Right you are, Watson," Holmes said as he pulled his dagger from the wall and began flipping it into the back of the door. "The fact that the hat was discovered by the docks would indicate your Mr. Bates has taken his prize to the Continent. Or attempted to. The lost hat may point to a struggle and escape. John may be in hiding. There is much territory to cover."
Holmes by now had become involved in updating his press clipping files, pasting some back-logged articles into his carefully cross-indexed volumes. I spoke up, "Much too much territory for us to cover. The docks, London, possibly France."
"Once again your allusions to the unstated fact are well taken," Holmes replied. He then went to the window and opened it. Taking out a silver police whistle, he blew three short blasts and two longer ones. Within minutes the stairwell was filled with the sounds of running feet and several sharp comments by Mrs. Hudson. Holmes opened the door and let in the ragamuffins which constituted his Baker Street Ir¬regulars.
"Johnny, front and center," Holmes called out sharply. Johnny, one of the older boys, stepped forward and snapped to attention. "Have you ever heard of 'The Elephant Man,' Johnny?"
"Blimey, yessir. I even saw 'im once. At the side show, sir."
Holmes strolled up and down the line of scallywags in the fashion of a major-general inspecting his troops.
"Very good. That will come in handy. Boys, you are going Elephant Man hunting. Check the water front, any back street or alley a man could hide. There's a shilling for each of you and a crown reward for the one who finds him--"
Before Holmes could finish announcing his generous bounty the boys had streamed out the door, down the stairs and onto the street.
"Well, that takes care of the city. Now, Doctor, in the likelihood that this Mr. Bates has spirited your ward across the Channel, I am forced to ask Watson if he is up to a trip to France,"
"If you believe I can be of service, Holmes."
"You're always of great service, Watson."
"Holmes, mighten we enlist the aid of Toby? With the hat to get the scent from, I'm sure it would be very easy for that blood¬hound to track him down."
"Excellent, Watson. Already you've proven your worth." Holmes was packing a few items. I did the same. Holmes turned to our amazed client, "Doctor Treves, I believe I can say that we will have your celebrated patient returned to you shortly."
Dr. Treves rose to exit. "Thank you, Mr. Homes. God bless you, sir."
The doctor had not quite reached the door, when a loud, sharp knock came from the door. Holmes had just doffed his Inverness and deerstalker cap and I had only just grasped my derby when the door swung open and in stepped a man of questionable station in life. A well-worn, seedy looking chap wearing his tattered frock coat with an air of dignity foreign to his social standing.
"Al-righty, where is 'e?" he bellowed.
